Shloka 78

Śaineya’s Breakthrough and Reunion with Arjuna (शैनेयस्य समागमः)

Devanagari script

भोजतस्तु क्षतसर्वाजड्रो भीमसेनेन मारिष | रक्ताशोक इवोत्फुल्लो व्यभ्राजत रणाजिरे,माननीय नरेश! भीमसेनने उन बाणोंद्वारा कृतवर्माके सम्पूर्ण अंगोंको क्षत-विक्षत कर दिया। वह रणांगणमें खूनसे लथपथ हो खिले हुए लाल फूलोंवाले अशोकवृक्षके समान सुशोभित होने लगा

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | bhojatas tu kṣata-sarvāṅgo bhīmasenena māriṣa | raktāśoka ivotphullo vyabhrājata raṇājire ||

Translation

Sanjaya said: O venerable king, Kṛtavarmā of the Bhoja line, his whole body torn and wounded by Bhimasena, shone on the battlefield—blood-soaked yet striking—like a red aśoka tree in full bloom.

Word by Word

भोजतःof Bhoja (i.e., of Kṛtavarman, the Bhoja prince)

तुbut/indeed

क्षतwounded

सर्वाङ्गःhaving all limbs (i.e., in all his limbs)

अजड्रःAjadra (name/epithet of the warrior here, i.e., Kṛtavarman)

भीमसेनेनby Bhīmasena

मारिषO sir!/O noble one!

रक्ताशोकःa red Aśoka tree (with red blossoms)

इवlike/as if

उत्फुल्लःfully blossomed

व्यभ्राजतshone forth/appeared splendid

रणाजिरेin the battlefield

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Dhritarashtra

Bhimasena

Kritavarma

Bhoja (lineage)

battlefield (raṇājira)

aśoka tree (raktāśoka)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral tension of war: martial excellence can appear radiant, yet it is inseparable from injury and bloodshed. It cautions that even when combat is framed as duty, its beauty is metaphorical and unsettling, reminding the listener to discern dharma beyond mere spectacle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Bhīmasena has struck Kṛtavarmā so severely that his entire body is wounded. Covered in blood, Kṛtavarmā nevertheless appears conspicuous on the battlefield, compared poetically to a red aśoka tree in full bloom.